Summer Enrichment Program

My name is Sam, and I am one of the Education Interns at Reiman Gardens for the summer. I am going to be a Senior in Elementary Education this fall at Iowa State University. When first learning about my position here at the Gardens, it sounded like something I would be interested in; challenging, yes, but definitely interested. I don’t have much background in plants and butterflies (my endorsements are math and reading!), but I figured it would be a good summer position for me to gain experience in a non-traditional classroom setting.
Some of the activities I coordinate here during the summer are Kids’ Story Time, Plant Pals, Discovery Stations, and Summer Enrichment Program through the Ames School District. For my leadership project, I chose to plan out three of the Enrichment Program sessions for 3rd and 4th graders. We talked about plant propagation, pollination, and edible plants. The students’ enthusiasm for the program was very rewarding. For our last week, we invited the students to Reiman Gardens to give them a tour of our facilities. They were very excited, and I am going to miss working with them.